Page 68 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

She rolled her eyes and said, “Yeah, well, five years ago if someone had asked me if I wanted to be Pop’s kid or go belong to someone that actually gave a shit about me and would make sure there was food and electricity, I know what I would’ve said.”

Tommy agreed, but he didn’t say anything.

“The important thing right now is to get the paperwork filed on my end, and get the children placed in my care on a more long-term basis,” Judy said. She looked at each of them again. When her eyes landed on Tommy, she said, “The rest, you have plenty of time to think about.” Then she added with a laugh, “If you wait long enough, the children will be grown and you don’t have to decide anything.”

Judy got up from her perch on the coffee table and went into the kitchen. Tommy looked at Mike and then Colleen. “Any thoughts?”

Mike surprised him when he said, “I don’t think right now is the time to make any big decisions.” He paused and looked around the room before meeting Tommy’s eye. “Judy seems happy enough to let us all stay here, we’re together, and we’re safe. That’s always been good enough for us.”

It was true. They’d always been fine as long as they were together. “You’re right,” Tommy said softly. “It’s a lot to think about, so, just speak up if you come up with anything, all right?”

“Will do,” Mike said as he got up. He stopped in front of Tommy and added, “Just let the dust settle first, ya know? Maybe right now is the time to enjoy not living like dogs on the run.”

Tommy smiled up at his brother. It was the first time Mike had said anything to make Tommy think he really was a poet at heart. Maybe Mike was right. Maybe it was time for them to catch their breath and see which way the wind was going to blow.

Colleen stood up and said, “I’m gonna check on the kids.” She patted Tommy’s head as she walked past, watching as Mike left the room. “I agree with him, so don’t bother asking what I think right now.”

Tommy caught her hand and kissed it. “Fair enough.”

When they were alone again, Tommy looked up from his spot on the floor at Bobby. They still had a few things to sort out, and Bobby proved it when he said, “We need to talk.”

Those were possibly the worst words anyone could ever throw at a person, and it was much worse when the phone rang before they could say anything else.

Bobby looked at his cell phone and said, “I gotta take this.” He got up and left the room.

“Christ,” Tommy muttered and dropped his head back against the couch. He knew he should probably get up and do something, but he had no idea what that would be.

Judy came back in and sat down in front of Tommy again. She passed him a cookie but didn’t say anything.

He took a bite and thought cookies weren’t such an evil thing. He asked her, “You sure this is all okay with you?”

She laughed like it was a stupid question, but she answered anyway. “I’m sure, Tommy.”

“We were kinda forced on ya.”

“If I thought I could’ve gotten away with it, I would’ve offered months ago,” she confided. “I’m just sorry the circumstances were so… traumatic.”

“You and me both,” Tommy murmured. He looked at her and smiled. “Bobby said you always wanted a big family.” When Judy nodded, he said, “Guess ya got what ya asked for.”

Her laugh was bright and youthful, full of life. “I certainly did, didn’t I?”

Tommy didn’t get a chance to respond because Bobby was striding over with a serious look on his face. “Tom,” he said. “We found your father.”

Chapter Fifteen

Bobby drove while Tommy tried to collect his thoughts. “Tell me again, slowly,” he said. “Because I’m pretty sure I heard you wrong the first time.”

They were headed for a hospital on the other side of town. Bobby laughed before answering. “He checked himself into rehab six weeks ago.”

“See,” Tommy started to explain. “It’s not the rehab that throws me, ’cause he’s been tossed in there more than once. It’s the part where he checked himself in. Are you sure about that?”

“That’s what they said.”

Tommy couldn’t fit that piece of information into his world, so he tried to set it aside. “And he wants to see me?”

Bobby nodded, but he kept his eyes on the road.

The whole situation felt surreal. “Does he know about Cheryl?”

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